Automatic lubricator



W. BAKER.

1 Car-Axle Box.

No. 17,957. Patented, Au 11, 1857;

NJEIERS. PNOTO-LITNOGRAPMER, WASHINGTONv D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

WILLIAM BAKER, OF UTICA, NEWV YORK.

AUTOMATIC LUBRIGATOR FOR RAILROAD-CAR AXLES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 17,957, dated August 11, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, WILLIAM BAKER, of the city of Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Machine or Device for Lubricating the Journals of Railroad Cars and Locomotives; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a journal box with my apparatus connected therewith, the journal box being constructed substantially like those now in common use, except a slight conformity of its bottom and lower part for receiving and accommodating the use of the apparatus herein described. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my machine or apparatus shown separately; and exhibits the exterior of the several parts, as when put together, and ready to be set into the journal box for use.

The same letters refer to like parts in both the figures.

The nature and object of my invention is to convey the oil or other lubricating material from the fountain or reservoir below to the journal simply by means of the agitation within the box caused by the violence of concussion on the rail, without any dependence on the revolving of the journal or other mechanical agency.

a, (Fig. 2,) is a box or reservoir to contain the oil; I), an iron ring or inclosure of a circular piston chamber. This ring is let down into the reservoir quite to its bottom. C, is a cylindrical piston, fitted to move easily, but closely within the corresponding circle of the ring Z), forming a small circular oil chamber beneath it. This piston terminates at its upper end by the top (Z which by the concave 1", on its upper side is fitted to clasp the journal. These parts and those connected therewith are all shown in section in Fig. 1, where a, a, is the oil box or reservoir; b, b, the ring or inclosure ofv the piston chamber; C the piston; e, a volute spring lying at the bottom of the chamber under the piston; 71, a small orifice or inlet for the oil leading from the reservoir to the circular oilchamber beneath the piston; J, is the journal in its proper position; 7:, the brass hearing, or saddle which receives the pressure of the load, and Z, m, 0, the outer inclosure or journal box.

Before the piston C is inserted as shown in Fig. 2, the convolute spring 6, (Fig. 1,) is dropped into the chamber; and the piston 0, when inserted stands upon this spring,

and is allowed a free vertical action or vibration upon it. The chamber under the piston C, as seen at f, (Fig. 1,) extends quite down to the bottom 9, 9. But the surroundingreservoir a, a, does not extend so low, but only to the bot-tom h, h, and the space between the two bottoms is left vacant, and inaccessible to the oil, or is made solid. This is done in order that no waste space may be left under the reservoir, and at the same time to leave the chamber lower immediately under the piston C, than the bottom of the reservoir a; so that the last of the oil that remains in exhausting the supply will be in the chamber immediately under the piston (1 To allow the oil to pass from the chamber 7, below the piston to the under side of the journal at n, the piston is perforated by the vertical orifice P, and the action when the cars are in motion is thus: at each sudden concussion, or jar upon the rail, the piston C by reason of its own gravity settles on the spring a, and the oil displaced by it is ejected up the orifice P, against the under side of the journal J. As this vibratory motion of the piston is frequent and almost constant, during the movement of the cars, the supply of oil to the journal is abundant and constant. The piston G, is not depressed by the action of the journal, as that is stationary, but by its own gravity only,

and is continually brought back again by the tension of the spring 6, to its contact with the journal. The concave 1', (Fig. 2,) of the piston top, is fitted to the circumference of the journal, as near as may be, and the oil adhering to the journal is by the action of this contact spread out upon the whole extent of the bearing, keeping it constantly and uniformly lubricated. In order to provide against the consequences of any obstruction to the passage P, which might occur, (although no such obstruction has yet been known to occur) an additional jet of oil is provided through an orifice S, which is drilled vertically through the side of the ring I), terminating at its lower extremity in a recess cast in the inner circumference of the ring. So that the same action of the piston which ejects the oil to the journal through the orifice P, will also eject it through this lateral orifice, striking the journal at If. The oil thus applied is spread over the whole extent of the journal by the action of the bearing on the upper side, and would probably be suflicient for lubricating the journal without the aid of the jet through the center of the piston. And it is evident that in like manner the oil may be ejected against the journal at the opposite side of the ring, or to any other point to which an orifice or conductor might be made to lead from the oil chamber. This additional orifice through the side of the ring is indicated by the dotted lines at u, and the recess cast in the inner circumference of the ring in which this orifice terminates is seen at Q).

The piston G, in being depressed as here described, acts as a valve to close the orifice 2', allowing no escape of the oil from the chamber beneath it, but through the orifices p, and u, although it is probable that the quantity ejected against the journal would be sufficient without closing the inlet 2'. For security against the inlet 2', becoming obstructed from any cause there are several similar perforations on the same level with this through the ring, all alike and opening into the reservoir, and all operating alike in admitting the oil from the reservoir into the circular chamber under the piston. The ring Z) (Fig. 2) to admit of the orifice S, is enlarged on this side as represented in the figure, making the exterior of the casting elliptical. This serves the purpose also of preventing the ring from turning around in its place while in use. There is a tin casing around the ring soldered tight so as not to admit the passage of the oil except through the perforations in the ring. This ring is simply dropped into its place extending slightly above the surface of the reservoir box, and may be removed at pleasure for cleaning or any other purpose. The reservoir box is well made of heavy tin plate, or it may be made of cast iron or other material. The ring and piston are made of cast iron. I make the spring 6, of small brass wire, but it may be made of other wire or of plate metal. To receive and accommodate the reservoir box the bottom of the journal box is cast flat without curve and a raised margin projects inward some three-eighths of an inch on all its sides except the front, and even here a similar projection may be cast on the inner side of the front door. This margin is at a suitable elevation to allow the overlapping of it by the cover or top plate of the reservoir box; this top plate being made for this purpose to project correspondingly beyond the sides of the box as seen at w. This is done for the purpose of preventing the oil, which soon fills the interstices around the reservoir from being thrown up by the violence of agitation upon the rail when the cars are in motion.

lVhenever the oil from any cause accumulates on the surface a of the reservoir, it runs back into the reservoir through the orifice 00. To promote this return of the oil, the top of the reservoir box is depressed a little around this orifice, and generally over the top of the box, leading in the direction of the orifice x. In order to keep the oil from the back end of the journal box and the axle when it passes into the box in the rear (as this is the point where waste is most likely to occur), the reservoir box does notextend back the entire length of the journal box, but stops short at 7 (Fig. 1), the bottom of the journal box being raised here as shown in the figure, to a height a little above the projecting margin as seen at z. The reservoir box may be made of a shape externally to fit the bottom of any journal box now in use or any other desired pattern. But when these boxes are cast anew, it will greatly promote the usefulness of the im provement as well as the convenience of applying it, to construct the journal box substantially as here described.

For the convenience of inserting and withdrawing the reservoir box at pleasure, as well as the convenience of replenishing the supply of oil, I make two doors 0, and 0, to the journal box in front. The lower door 0 is packed and bolted up by three screw bolts, one at the bottom and one at each side, inserted in the usual manner to make it sure and tight. The reservoir box being inserted in its place, this door is thus closed and is not intended to be removed except to withdraw the reservoir for cleaning, or forsome other extraordinary occasion.

The upper door 0 is to be used for feeding and for all ordinary purposes. It is not bolted at all, but moves up and down in grooves on the inner sides of the box, which are matched by a corresponding tongue on the door, and when closed down the door forms a point at its upper and lower edges as shown at A, and B. The hopping up of this door by the jar upon the rail is prevented by the button E, on the top. By simply turning this button the door 0 may be raised with the hand at pleasure.

The dotted lines F, G, indicate a guard cast upon the inside of the door of three eighths of an inch in thickness, which by a slot in the top plate of the box is let into this plate as far as the dotted line F, the upper end making an even surface with the box. The office of this guard is to hold in its place a loose flat steel bar, which is sometimes dropped into gains H, in the inner sides of the box, and lies across the box, in front of the end of the journal, to

steady the journal in its longitudinal movement. All this front arrangement of the journal box however is liable to much variation, and forms no part of the invention here described.

This apparatus may be used for the application of any other lubricating material than oil, such as lard, or any other fatty or unctuous matter, which may be simply placed within the journal box and around the piston, and it will melt by the ordinary heat of the movement and settle into the reservoir when the cars are in motion.

It may be now seen that the lower part of the journal box may be used for the reservoir for the oil, and thus dispense with the separate reservoir box. This may be done by simply casting a cover for the 'cavity in the journal box herein described as the seat or place for the reservoir box. This cover to be of the width and shape, and in other respects correspond to the top or cover of the separate reservoir box hereinbefore described and in like manner to project over the raised margins before mentioned on the inner sides of the ournal box. In this cover the ring I), (Fig. 2,) is cast solid in its place together with the cover, and making even surface with the cover at the top, and extending the full depth of the reservoir below, so that when the cover is inserted, the ring shall stand upon the bottom of the recess or reservoir. This ring, with the piston and. spring being fitted as before described, and the cover with its attachments thus formed, being inserted in its place, the apparatus is complete, and the complete reservoir box is formed by bolting up and packing the door 0, (Fig. l) as hereinbefore described. The action of the apparatus is unchanged, and the same with or without the separate reservoir box. In the latter form, however, for the convenience of withdrawing the apparatus, the chamber under the piston, and the reservoir outside of it, are at least for the width of so much of the bottom as is suflicient to allow the ring to be drawn out, on the same level.

I do not however limit my invention to any particular shape or construction of a reservoir for the oil. Various modes of containing the oil are readily suggested or may be suggested to suit any desired shape or construction of the journal box. Neither is the shape and form which I have described of the piston and oil chamber the only form in which my plan of conveying the oil to the journal may be made practicable.

The

piston, it will be seen, is adjusted to fit the chamber in which it is to move, and this cover for the oil, it is obvious may be constructed of various shapes to suit the shape and capacity of the reservoir, and it is also obvious that if there are orifices in the cover, by tubes being set into it or otherwise the oil would by the action described be ejected through these orifices to the journal. But the form of the arrangement I have described is simply more perfect, the piston being fitted to clasp the journal for the benefit of friction and to keep it steady, and the oil chamber is so constructed as to use up advantageously the entire supply of oil. It is moreover compact, simple, little liable to derangement, and durable.

I am aware that machines have been constructed, to lubricate car journals by conveying the oil, or other lubricating material from a reservoir below to the journal by means of capillary attraction, by the use of cotton wicking, cotton cloth, cotton waste, coarse wool, or other porous or spongy substance, applied between the oil and the our nal, and also by the action of various mechanical agencies and constructions placed under and around the journal, and depending for their action upon motion to be communicated to them by the revolving action of the journal. I do not therefore herein claim any such agency, and whatever contrivances may have been constructed by the use of bobs, or pendulums to convey the oil to the journal, and moved in any manner by Ehe motion of the cars. I disclaim all these;

What I claim as my invention and discovery and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The mode herein described of conveying and applying the lubricating material to the journals of railroad cars and locomotives by ejecting the same from the reservoir to the journal, by the use of the piston as described, which is moved directly by the jar, or concussion, when the car, or locomotive is in mot-ion, without the aid of capillary attraction or the use of any absorbent whatever, or of any mechanical agency to be propelled by the revolving action of the journal, the same being arranged and operating substantially as herein set forth.

WILLIAM BAKER.

Witnesses:

RUFUS C. BAKER, GEORGE H. CONGAR. 

